Craig Dawson should be in serious contention to make Gareth Southgate’s England squad for this summer’s European Championship.
That’s according to West Ham fan James, who called Sports Bar to express his view that the Watford loanee is the best performing English defender at Southgate’s disposal right now, with the exception of Man City’s John Stones.
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Dawson, 30, has certainly made his mark at the London Stadium since joining the Hammers on a season-long loan deal following Watford’s relegation.
David Moyes wants to make that switch permanent in the summer and Dawson is certainly making that proposition look all the more likely with a series of impressive displays.
The latest of these came in the Hammers’ 2-0 win against Leeds on Monday night, with Dawson also notching his fourth goal of the season as Moyes’ men maintained their impressive recent run.
Speaking after the match, a delighted Moyes said: “We’re not there yet with a permanent deal but his performances, his attitude and determination are worthy of that anyway.
“We brought him in and it took him a while to get starts but now he’s come in, his experience has been really important to us and he has been adding goals as well.”
And James was certainly in a jubilant mood when he phoned in to speak to Andy Goldstein and Jason Cundy on Monday night’s Sports Bar – delivering a rather bold shout to say the least!
He started: “I said this and your producer sounded a bit shocked to be honest, and I think you might be as well… Dawson for the Euros!
“Is there a more in-form centre-back, other than John Stones, than Dawson right now? Give me one?”
Clearly taken aback, Sports Bar co-host Cundy responded: “It’s not going to happen though is it?”
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James replied: “I know it’s not… but it’s only because we’re West Ham.”
Cundy, sticking by his original point, added: “Let’s give him some praise, but that’s pushing it!”
James simply wasn’t having it though and adamantly stood by his original point of view, saying: “I can’t think of a more English in-form centre-back than John Stones right now.”
Former Three Lions striker Gary Lineker even took to Twitter earlier in the evening to suggest Dawson has transformed into none other than Real Madrid talisman Sergio Ramos! Some praise, indeed.
Enter into the conversation Mr Goldstein, as the die-hard Manchester United fan suggested Harry Maguire has been in pretty decent form himself.
Again, James, wasn’t having it. He asked: “Has he been playing as well as Dawson though?”
Cundy finally did get him to mellow down, as such, to his credit with another suggestion: “The boy [Ezri] Konsa at Aston Villa?
“Yeah, I do like him to be fair,” James confessed.
And as for this summer’s showcase tournament, Cundy believes the former Charlton and Brentford defender is in with a decent chance himself of making Southgate’s final Three Lions squad.
Cundy concluded: “He’s as good as anything consistently I’ve seen this season… I think he’s in with a squeak definitely.”
So it begs the question: Dawson or Konsa? You choose!
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